'Option of taking up land scam issue to Prez open'

Jaipur, Nov 26: AICC general secretary Ashok Gehlot today asked Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia to resolve the issue of 'land scam' stating that Congress may exercise its option of taking up the issue to President APJ Abdul Kalam.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Gehlot compared the style of functioning of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje to former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha and said the BJP leadership should come clean on the issue of 'land scam' in the Deen Dayal Memorial Trust.

He said ''It is quite intriguing that the BJP which has raised a hue and cry on a similar case of A R Antulay, has been observing silence on the serious charge of land grabing by the Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in the guise of a trust''.

The land allotment was similar to a popular saying in Rajasthan ''Denewale Srinathji aur Lenewale Srinathji'', he said, adding, the Chief Minister allots land to a trust where she herself is the president.

Mr Gehlot said the Chief Minister's response to the demand of land by some community in Kota for a trust is misleading.

He clarified, the Congress party is not against the allotment of land to any trust. The party's objection in the Deen Dayal Trust was due to the violation of rules and propriety in the land allotment by the Chief Minister, he added.

He said the party would organise a mass protest on December 8 on the completion of three years in office.

UNI